Warning light



April 27, 1965 K. w. THURsToN WARNING LIGHT Filed April 20. 1961 JNVTOR(aff M flux/.ffm

@rg/Mw@ United States Patent C) 3,180,979 WARNING LIGHT Kurt W.Thurston, 18 Los Cascades, Griuda, Calif. Filed Apr. 20, 1961, Ser. No.194,422 Claims. (Cl. 2MB-10.6)

This invention relates to a warning light and more particularly to` awarning light which is convertible from a two-wayV light to a one-waylight and vice versa. Y

Warning lights presently on the market have several disadvantages. Oneis that the brilliance of the lights utilizedA is so small that itisdimcult to see the warning lights from a great distance. In addition,such warning lights also have a very short dwellY time in order toconserve battery energy which also makes them more diiicult to observe.Such lights have also been bidirectional which has often causedconfusion when itis desired only to give a warning from'one direction.There is, there-A fore, a need for a new and improved warning light whicovercomes the above named diiliculties.

In general, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a warninglight which overcomes the above named disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a warning light of theabove character which has greatly increased brilliance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a warning light of theabove `character in which the light pattern is substantially broadened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a warning light of theabove character which can be observed from much greater distances thanconventional warning lights.

Another object of the` invention is to provide a warning light of theabove character which can be .readily converted from unidirectional tobidirectional use. p

Another object of the invention is to provide a warning light of theabove character which can be readily converted from bidirectional use tounidirectional use.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a warning light of theabovecharacter which has a removable reflector and in which thereiiector can be stored in the case when it is not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a warning light of theabove character which has greater physical strength. o

Another object of the invention is to provide a warning light of theabove character which can be readilyand economically constructed. Y l

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from thefollowing description in which the preferred embodiment is set forth indetail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a warning light incorporating myinvention with certain portions of the lens being broken away.

the power Vsupply is mounted in the case. A head is mounted upon andsupported by the case. The head consists of a substantially circularframe. A lamp is mounted in the center of the frame. At least one lensis provided on the frame on one side of the lamp. A removable reilectoris also mounted on the frame on the ICC other side of the lamp. Thereflector has a planar outer margin and a semieircular recess disposedin the center of the reflector. TheV recess has a center which issubstantially the center of theV lamp. The diameter of the semi-circularrecess is substantially less than the the diameter of the reiiector.Another lens may be also mounted on the other side of the frametoenclose the reilector. When the reflector is not in use, it can bestored within the case. Y

As shown in the drawings, my warning light consists of a rectangularcase 11v which is provided with a supporting bracket 12 mounted on oneside wall of the case. The case is also provided with an outwardlyextending flange 13 which extends outwardly from the lower edge of thecase and then downwardly to receive a plate 14 which is aihxed to theplate by screws 15 extending upwardly into receptacles 16 provided inthe case.

A head 18 is mounted on the upper portion of the case 11. The headconsists of a substantially circularframe '19 which is alixed to thecase 11 by suitable means such as by a nut 21. The frame 19 is formedinsuchl a manner that it is substantially in the form of a ring or annuluswhich isopen in both directions. A lamp 22 of a suitable type such as anincandescent lamp is supported within the frame 19 by a socket 23 in aposition so that the center of the lamp is substantially in the centerof the circular frame 19.

A lens 26 of a conventional type such as a Fresnel lens 26 is mounted onone side ot the frame and on one side of the lamp 22. The lens 26 isseated in an annular groove 27 provided in the frame 19 and is held inplace by suitable means such as screws 2S which are threaded into theframe. Another lens 25 of a Vconventional type and identical to the lens26 is mounted on the other side o f the frame and the other side of thelamp 22 in a similar manner to the lens 26.

The portion of the head hereinbefore described is substantiallyconventional except for the fact `that the frame 19 has a larger openingfor the same size frame than conventional heads. The warning light, whenmanufactured in this manner, is a bidirectional or two-way light becausethe light can shine in both directions from the lamp 22. Y

Now let it be assumed that it is desired to convert the head 18 into aunidirectional or one-way light. A reflector 31 of suitable materialsuch as steel is then mounted on one side of therlamp. The reflector, asshown, issubstantially circular and has a 'dimension such that it canfit within the groove'27 provided within the frame 19 so that it can beheld in place by the same screws 23 which hold the lens in place. rlf'hereilector 31 is provided with holes 3i) which are in alignment withV theholes provided in the lenses 26 and 25 so that the screws 28 can bereadily inserted through the same to hold the lens and reflector inplace. When secured in this manner the reflector serves to strengthenthe head assembly. The outer margin of the reiiector, as shownparticularly in FIGURES 3 and 4, is substantially planar as shown. Arecess 32 is formed in the center of the reiiector. As shown, it issubstantially semi-circular and has substantially the same shape as aportion cut oir of a sphere. The center of the recess 32 issubstantially in the center of the lamp 22 when the reilector is inplace. The diameter of the recess 32 is substantially less than thediameter of the reflector. The side of the reilector 31 facing the lampis provided with a suitable reilecting surface such as a coating ofaluminum.

A conventional power supply 36 is mounted within the case 11. The powersupply includes a battery 37, a large capacitor 38 supported by abracket 39, and other small components such as the transistors which`are not shown. There is space provided between the upper part of thePatented Apr. 27, 165

aisee-"fo battery and the upper part of the case 11. to receive thereilector 31 when it is not in use as shown particularly in FIGURE 2.

Operation and use of my warning light may now be briefly described asfollows. Let it be assumed that the light has been utilized as a one-wayor unidirectional light and that it is desired to convert the light to abidirectional or two-way light. i

The reiiector 31 is removed by removing one of the lenses by removingthe screws 28. The reflector is then taken out from between the lens andthe lamp, and the lens is then put back in place. The reflector is thenstored within the case as shown particularly in FIGURE 2 by removingrthe two screws l5 provided in the receptacles 16 and removing the bottomplate and battery and placing the reliector 31 above it. By placing thereflector within the case, the user of the warning light is alwaysassured that the reflector will be available so that it can be utilizedat any time for converting the bidirectional light into a unidirectionallight. In this way, it is not possible for the reflectors to becomelost. The head is constructed in such a manner that the reector can bemounted on either side of the lamp.

It has been found that the use of the reflector has many advantages. Forexample, it has been found that they use of the relector at leastdoubles the light intensity from the warning light. Thisis primarily dueto the fact that the semicircular recess 32 serves to concentrate thelight from the lamp and reflect it out through the opposite lens in themanner shown in FIGURE 4. Also, it has been found that the use of thereflector broadens the light pattern from the warning light to provide afuller pattern. This makes my warning light visible from much greaterdistances than conventional warning lights.

It is readily apparent that, if desired, the warning light can beconstructed in such a manner that a lens is provided on o ne side onlyand a reflector of the type herein described is provided on the otherside. The other lens can, therefore, be omitted to provide a light whichis only unidirectional. Such unidirectional warning lights are verydesirable because then the light will not serve to attract the attentionof oncoming drivers approaching from an opposite direction.

I claim:

l. In a warning light, a case, a power supply mounted in the case, and ahead mounted on the case, the head comprising a substantially circularframe, a lamp mounted in the frame, a lens mounted in one side of theframe and on one side of the lamp, a reflector mounted in the frame onthe other side of the lamp and supported solely by said frame to providean opaque partition coextensive with said frame, the outer annularmargin of the reector being substantially planar and having a widthwhich constitutes a substantial portion of the reliector, the rellectoralso having a substantially hemispherical recess in the center thereofand having as its center the center of the lamp, the diameter of therecess being substantially less than the diameter of the reflector, therecess within the reflector serving to concentrate the light rays of thelamp to reflect them through the lens, an additional lens, retainingmeans securing said additional lens to said frame on the side oppositethe side on which the first named lens is mounted and enclosing saidreiiector, said retaining means serving'also to secure said reflector tosaid frame'.

2. In a warning light, a case, a power supply mounted in the case, ahead mounted on the case, the head coin'- prising a substantiallycircular frame, a lamp mounted in the frame, a lens mounted on each sideof the frame and on opposite sides of the lamp, and a removablereiiector mounted in the frame on one side of the lamp and between thelenses, the reflector having a substantially planar outer annular marginand a hemispherical recess in its central portion, the hemisphericalrecess having a diameter substantially less than the diameter of therelector and having as its center the center of the lamp, the recessserving to concentrate the light rays from the lamp to reflect the samethrough the lens on the opposite side of the lamp, the outer annularportion having a width so that it constitutes a substantial portion ofthe reflector.

3. A warning light as in claim 2 wherein said case is provided withstorage space within the same adapted to receive the removable reflectorwhen it is not in use.

4. A warning light as in claim 2 wherein said frame has an inner opendiameter substantially as great as the diameter of the reflector.

5. In a warning light, a case, a power supply mounted in the case, and ahead mounted on the case, the head comprising a substantially circularframe, a lens mounted on each side of the frame, a lamp mounted betweensaid lenses and disposed to direct light substantially equally towardeach said lens, and a removable reflector mounted in the frame on oneside of and free of the lamp and between the lenses, the reflector beingopaque substantially coextensive with the lens mounted on the side ofthe lamp on which the reflector is mounted to prevent the passage oflight therethrough to provide a one-way warning light, the reflectorbeing disposed with respect to said lamp and said lenses that removal ofsaid reflector serves to convert the head into a two-way warning light.

References Cited by the lExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS NORTON ANSHER,Primary Examiner.

GEORGE A. NINAS, IR., LAWRENCE CHARLES,

Examiners.

fili

1. INA WARNING LIGHT, A CASE, A POWER SUPPLY MOUNTED IN THE CASE, A HEADMOUNTED ON THE CASE, THE HEAD COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR FRAME,A LAMP MOUNTED IN THE FRAME, A LENS MOUNTED ON EACH SIDE OF THE FRAMEAND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LAMP, AND A REMOVABLE REFLECTOR MOUNTED INTHE FRAME ON ONE SIDE OF THE LAMP AND BETWEEN THE LENSES, THE REFLECTORHAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR OUTER ANNULAR MARGIN AND A HEMISPHERICALRECESS IN ITS CENTRAL PORTION, THE HEMISPHERICAL RECESS HAVING ADIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE REFLECTOR ANDHAVING AS ITS CENTER THE CENTER OF THE LAMP, THE RECESS SERVING TOCONCENTRATE THE LIGHT RAYS FROM THE LAMP TO REFLECT THE SAME THROUGH THELENS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE LAMP, THE OUTER ANNULAR PORTION HAVINGA WIDTH SO THAT IT CONSTITUTES A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE REFLECTOR.